Staple forming and driving mechanism



Jan. 14, 1941. A. L. ROSENMUND STAPLE FORMING AND DRIVING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 18, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet l I as w Fm I IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS D W N M 0 R L W F L A 1941- A. L. ROSENMUND 2,228,915

STAPLE FORMING AND DRIVING MECHANISM Filed NOV. 18, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEYS.

Jan. 14, 1941. RQSENMUND 2,228,915

STAPLE FORMING AND DRIVING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 18, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 5 7 6 QNM" j x 69 l 8,0 32 50 I P W INVENTOR. /7 ALFRED 1.. osmwu/vo.

BY s a W z/i My 22 2/ ATTORNEYS.

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Jam 1941- A. L. ROSENMUND STAPLE FORMING AND DRIVING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 VENTOR.

ALFRED 1.. ROSENMU/VD.

Filed Nov. 18, 1937 ATT0RNEY2 Patented Jan. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES STAPLE FORMING MECHANI AND DRIVING Alfred L. Rosenmund, Rockaway, N. J., assignor to stapling Machines 00., a corporation of Delaware Application November 18, 1937, Serial No. 175,232

10 Claims.

This invention relates to staple forming and driving mechanism and particularly to staple iorming and driving mechanism for use in wirebound box-making machines in which staples g are formed from staple-stock wire and driven tilt till

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over binding wire into box parts progressively presented to, the staple forming and driving mechanism.

it is an object of the invention to provide a staple forming and driving unit which is compact, thus allowing adjacent units to be brought closer together and permitting a closer spacing of binding wires.

it is a further object to feed the staple-stock wire to the stapling unit in line with the binding wire and to form staples in line with the binding wire.

it is a further object to rotate the staple former alter the staple is formed, to turn the staple at an angle to the binding wire so that when driven the staple will straddle the binding wire at a suitable angle.

it is a further object of the invention to pro-. vide a staple forming and driving mechanism in which the cutter, the staple former, and the staple driver are separately operated by their respective actuators to produce a short operating stroke in. relation to the length of the staple which is tormed and driven.

One illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a staple forming and driving mechanism embodymg the invention and showing the manner of mounting the same on the stapler carriage of a bor'hlank machine.

Fig. Zis an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the position of the parts at the start of a staple-forming operatlon.

Fig. 315 a similar view showing the position oi the parts during a staple-driving operation and also showing the manner of feeding staple-stockwire for the next staple.

Fig. i ls a bottom plan view of Fig. 3 showing the relationship of the cutterswhich sever the staple-stock wire and the V-slot in the bottom of the staple former for centering the staple-stock wire over the loopv bar.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section of the staple former and driver assembly.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation staple forming and driving unit.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation oi the other side of of the the staple forming and driving unit with a side plate omitted to show the staple-stock wire in position to be cut.

Fig. 9 is an end elevation viewed from the left in Fig. 8, partly sectioned for clearness of illustration.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the unit, partly in section, showing the position of the parts after the staple-stock wire has been cut and after the staple former has started to form the staple over the loop bar.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on the line lI-|l of Fig. 10, showing one staple forming and the deflection oi the incoming wire for the fol-' lowing staple.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the unit, partly sectioned, showing the position of the parts as the staple is completed and about to be driven.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken on the line lit-l3 of Fig. 12, showing the continuing feed of the staple-stock wire, with. the loop bar in retracted position.

Fig. 14 is an end elevation of the unit, partly in section, viewed from the left in Fig. 12, showing the loop bar removed from. beneath the formed staple.

Fig. 15 is a top plan view of Fig. 14 with certain parts omitted, showing the staple formed in line with the binding wire. and the former and driver in position to be rotated.

Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the unit, partly sectioned, showing the former and driver rotated to position the staple to straddle the binding wire and showing the staple driven over the binding wire and into the box part.

Fig. 17 is a sectional view taken on the line llL-ll of Fig. 16, showing the continued travel oi the staple-stock wire between the staple former and the retracted loop bar during the driving oi the previously-formed staple.

Fig. 18 is an end elevation "of the unit viewed from the left in Fig. 16.

Fig. 19 is an enlarged view of Fig. 15 showing the staple former and driver rotated to position the staple for a driving operation.

Fig. 20 is a side elevation, on a small scale, of a wirebound box blank machine with the illustrative stapling mechanism mounted thereon; certain parts being omitted for clearness of illustration.

Fig. 21 is a perspective view of a product of said machine, namely a wirebound box blank.

Fig. 22 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the box blank shown in Fig. 21, showing the manner in which the staples are driven at an angle to the axis of the binding wire to straddle the wire and secure it to the box parts.

In the manufacture of wirebound box blanks such as the blank shown in Fig. 21, the box parts, i. e., cleats A and sheets of side material B, are positioned on endless conveyor chains and fed beneath stapling mechanism which secures binding wires C to the box parts by driving staples D over the binding wires and into the box parts.

It will be noted that the staples D are driven over a binding wire C at an angle of about 45 degrees to the axis of the wire. Heretofore it has been the practice to form the staple at the desired angle to the axis of the wire and then drive the staple over the wire without changing its angular relationship thereto.

This practice necessitated feeding the staplestock wire to the staple forming and driving mechanism at the desired angle to the axis of the binding wire, and this in turn necessitated feeding mechanism for the staple-stock wire extending from one side of the stapling unit at the desired angle to the axis of the binding wire. This extending mechanism prevented locating adjacent stapling units in close proximity to each other and hence limited the minimum distance between binding wires on the box blank.

The present invention is intended'to eliminate the aforementioned objections to prior practices and mechanisms by providing a compact staple forming and driving unit adapted to be located in close proximity to an adjacent unit to permit stapling operations on binding wires spaced closer together than heretofore.

To produce this compact stapling unit the staple-stock wire is fed to the staple forming and driving mechanism in line with the axis of the binding wire and the staple is formed in line with and directly above the binding wire. After the staple is formed in line with the binding wire, the staple former in which the staple is formed is partially rotated, for example, 45 degrees, to position the staple at the desired angle to the axis of the binding wire for the driving operation. The driver then drives the staple out of the former, over the binding wire, and into the work.

It should also be noted that, as contributing to an efficient and compact staple forming and driving unit, the wire cutter, the staple former, and the staple driver are separately actuated in timed relationship.

While the present invention is directed broadly to staple forming and driving mechanism it is particularly directed to a staple forming and driving mechanism for wirebound box blank machines of the character shown generally in Fig. 20. Such a box blank machine is fully shown and described in United States Patent Number 2,101,457, reference to which is hereby made for a full description of the construction and operation of a wirebound box blank machine.

As shown and described in said patent, the staple forming and driving units are carried by a carriage which is reciprocable in the line of travel of box parts and moves the stapling mechanism with the box parts during stapling operations. There will be mounted on the carriage as many stapling units as there are wires to be stapled to the box parts. One stapling unit embodying the present invention will now be described.

Referring to Fig.1, the stapling unit and the several mechanisms for operating the same are supported by a carriage comprising side frames I connected together by crossbars 2 and 3. The stapling unit is adiustably clamped on crossbars 2 and 3 by plates 4 bolted to body 5 of the stapling unit.

The work to be stapled is fed beneath the stapling unit, preferably on endless conveyors 6, (Fig. 20), the conveyors 6 being moved by suitable mechanism such as that shown in said Patent Number 2,101,457.

The several mechanisms of the stapling unit are operated from a shaft 1, hereinafter called the stapler shaft. Shaft 1 is journaled in the upper part of the side frames I and is rotated by a sprocket wheel I00, a sprocket chain IOI, and a sprocket wheel I02, on a shaft I02, hereinafter called the drive shaft. Drive shaft I03 is Journaled in hearings in the lower part of side frames I and is rotated at selected times in the manner described in said Patent Number 2,101,457, to move the stapler carriage and cause a stapling operation.

The means for supporting and moving the stapler carriage are fully shown and described in said Patent Number 2,101,457.

Staple-stock wire W carried by a reel R (Fig. 20) is fed to the stapling unit by feed rolls 8 and III which are rotated from shaft 1 through a gear II, a chain I2, and gears I3, I4, I5, and I6 as shown in Fig. 1.

Feed rolls 8 and I feed the wire W through a guide tube I1 secured in a plate I8 attached to stapler body Ii by screw I9. From guide tube I1 (see Fig. 2) wire W is fed into an elongated slot 20 in a horizontal fixed cutter 2I having a cutting edge 22 chamfered at a suitable angle to form staple points. Fixed cutter 2| is adjustably secured to stapler body by means of screws 23. The wire W passes over cutting edge 22 and over a loop bar 25 and is severed between fixed cutting edge 22 and a cooperating chamfered cutting edge 26 carried at the lower extremity of a vertically movable cutter 21. The severed piece of wire is then bent over loop bar 25 to form a staple and the staple is partially rotated and then driven in the manner hereinafter explained.

While the severed piece of wire is being formed into a staple and driven, the continuously-moving staple-stock wire W is deflected by a beveled surface 28 of movable cutter 21 to feed around the staple former and driver, as shown in Fig. 3.

After the staple has been formed the loop bar 25 is withdrawn from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3 to permit the driving of the staple. While the staple is being driven the staple-stock wire W continues to feed around the staple former and driver and over loop bar 25 in its retracted position, as shown in Fig. 3.

Secured to the inner face of stapler body 5 is a plate 29 having a beveled surface 30 to guide the wire W back toward the staple former and driver, and when the staple former and driver are raised after a driving operation, as hereinafter explained, loop bar 25 is returned to initial position, carrying wire W with it and positioning the wire W beneath the staple former and driver for the next staple-forming operation.

The cutter, loop bar, former and driver. and their operations on the wire W will now be described.

As shown in Figs. '7, 8, and 9, three cams 3i, 32, and 33, adjustably secured on stapler shaft 1, operate the several stapling mechanisms in timed relationship. Cam II drives movable cuthorizontal V-shaped groove 8|.

ter 21 downward to causeits cutting edge 28 to sever the wire W against fixed cutting edge 22. Movable cutter 21 is returned to initial position by a coil spring 34 interposed between the upper end of a lateral recess 35 in cutter 21 and a ledge 38 secured adjacent to it on the inside surface of stapler body 5. Movable cutter 21 rides in a recess 16 formed in a side plate 31, as best shown in Fig. 9.

Cam 32, which is a face cam, operates to reciprocate vertically a. staple former 38 which rides in a recess 39 in stapler body 5 and a recess 48 in movable cutter 21. Face cam 32 is provided with a groove 4| to receive a roller 42 rotatably mounted on a stud shaft 43 carried by a block 44 which surrounds the upper extremity of staple former 38 above a shoulder 45.

A second block 48 surrounds staple former 38 below shoulder 45. Blocks 44 and 46 are connected by screws 41 so located and adjusted as to permit staple former 38 to be rotated within the supporting blocks 44 and 48.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, staple former 38 ispartially rotated by a lobe 48 (Fig. 12) projecting from the rim of cam 32 which contacts and moves an arm 48 carried by a collar 58 secured to staple former 38. The arrangement is such that the staple former 38 will be rotated about 45 degrees after the staple has been formed.

After the staple is formed, cam 33 operates a staple driver 5| which is reciprocable in a recess 52 in staple former 38. Cam 33 may operate directly on a driver head 53 aflixed to the upper extremity of driver 5| but in the illustrative mechanism an arm 54 is interposed between cam 88 and driver head 53. One end of the arm rests on driver head 53 and the other end of the arm is pivoted to plate 4. Rotation of cam 33 forces arm. 54 and driver 5| downward to drive the staple out of the staple former. To return driver 5| and arm 54 to raised position there is provided a coil spring 55 (see Fig. 5) interposed between the under side of driver head 53 and ashoulder 58 in spring housing 51.

Arm 54 is interposed between driver cam 33 and driver head 53 to give a smoother action in contacting the driver head while being forced downward. There are two reasons for this desired action: First, because the driver head in raised position (Fig. 12) extends beyond the housing in which it is guided and if driven di-.

rectly there would be a tendency 'to bend the driver due to the sweeping action of cam 33. This is prevented by the use of arm 54. Secondly, the driver head 53 rotates with the staple former 38 prior to driving a staple. With the arm 54 contacting the driver head 53 there is less resistance to its turning thanthere would be ii the cam 33 contacted the driver head 53 directly.

At the lower end of the staple former 38 there is provided a V-groove 8| (see Figs. 4 and- 5) and in the lower end of movable cutter body 21 is a ll-groove 82. The two grooves are in alignment to position the severed piece of wire W on the loop bar. 25, over which the wire W is bent to form a staple D.

As shown in Fig. 5, the recess 52 of the staple former 38 is provided with opposed longitudinal grooves 64 substantially equal in depth to the diameter of the wire W and terminating in the On downward movement -of the movable cutter 21 and the staple former 38 in relative timing, the wire W is severed by cutting edge 28 of cutter 21 and positioned over loop bar 25 by the V-shaped grooves 8| and 62 located in the bottom of staple former 38 and cutter 21, respectively. On further downward movement of staple former 38, wire W will be bent over loop bar 25 and into longitudinal grooves 84'of staple former 38 (Fig. 12).

It will be seen by referring to Figs. 12 and 13 that wire W has been fed continuously while staple D was being formed and driven. Following the severing operation it was deflected by bevon a pin 81 on stapler body 5 and extends through a recess 68 in stapler body 5 and into a recess 89 of the staple former 38.

To move the loop bar 25 from beneath the staple D after the staple D is formed, there is provided on the rear of movable cutter 21 a cam surface which is adapted upon descent of the cutter 21 to engage an inclined surface 1| on the upper end of loop bar holder lifi and move the loop bar 25 horizontally from beneath the formed staple D. After the staple D has been driven and staple former 38 returned to its initial position the loop bar 25 is returned to its normal position by a. coil spring 12 interposed in a recess 13 in loop bar holder 88 and against surface 14 of recess 68 in stapler body 5.

Referring to Figs. 12, 14, and 15, immediately after the staple D is formed in line with binding wire C, and the loop bar 25 is removed from beneath the formed staple D, the lobe 48 projecting from the rim of cam 32 contacts the 'arm 49 of collar 58. Continued rotation of cam 32 will cause lobe 48 to move arm 48, and movement of arm 49 will cause rotation of staple former 38 and driver 5| which is mounted therein.

Arm 48 has a beveled surface 49a at its extremity to permit lobe 48 to pass the arm when staple former 38 and driver 5| have been rotated to the proper position (45 degrees) to drive staple D astride binding wire C and into the box parts, as shown in Fig. 19. The driver 5| then drives the staple D out of the staple former and into the box parts. To guide driver 5| in recess 52 of staple former 38, the driver 5| is provided with fins or ribs which fit into the longitudinal grooves 84 of the staple former 38.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 18, the bottom of staple former 38 is provided with a groove 88 to receive the binding wire 0 when the staple former has been rotated and contacts the box part during the driving operation.

It will be seen that the staple former 38 preferably contacts the work until the staple D is entirely driven; then the driver 5|, the staple former 38, and the movable cutter 21 are returned to initial position.

As shown in Figs.,6, 15, and 19, a pin 8| extends outwardly from collar 58 and preferably at a right angle to arm 48. In the operation of rotating the staple former 38, pin 8| is urged toward an upwardly extending member 82 detachably secured to stapler body 5 by screws 83. On one side of said member 82 and adjacent to pin 8| there is provided a cam surface 84. As staple former 38 is returned to its initial position by roller 42 following in groove 4| of cam 32, pin 8| will contact cam surface 84 and finals 'to the efliciency and compactness of the stapling unit.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiment shown for purposes of illustration and that all of the inventive features need not be used conjointly.

I claim:

1. In a machine for stapling binding wire to box parts, staple forming and driving mechanism comprising means to feed staple-stock wire in line with the binding wire to be stapled, a cutter to sever the staple-stock wire, a loop bar over which the severed piece of wire is bent to form the staple, a reciprocating staple former to form a staple over the loop bar with the staple legs in line with the binding wire to be stapled, means to withdraw the loop bar from the formed staple, means to turn the staple former about its axis of reciprocation after the staple has been formed to cause the legs of the staple when driven to straddle the binding wire to be stapled, and means to drive the staple out of the staple former.

2. In a. machine for stapling binding wire to box parts, staple forming and driving mechanism comprising means to feed staple-stock wire in line with the binding wire to be stapled, a cutter to sever the staple-stock wire, a reciprocating staple former to form a staple with its legs in line with the binding wire to be stapled, means to turn the staple former about its axis of reciprocation after the staple has been formed to cause the legs of the staple when driven to straddle the binding wire to be stapled, and means to drive the staple out of the staple former.

3. In a machine for stapling binding wire to box parts, staple forming and driving mechanism comprising means to feed staple-stock wire in line with the binding wire to be stapled, a reciprocating staple former to form a staple with its legs in line with the binding wire to be stapled, and means to turn the staple former about its axis of reciprocation after the staple has been formed to cause the legs of the staple when driven to straddle the binding wire to be stapied.

' 4. In a machine for stapling binding wire to box parts, staple forming and driving mechanism comprising a reciprocating staple former to form a staple with its legs in line with the binding wire to be stapled, means to turn the staple former about its axis of reciprocation after the staple has been formed to cause the legs of the staple when driven to straddle the binding wire to be stapled, and a driver to drive the staple over the binding wire.

5. In a machine for stapling binding wire to 5 box parts, staple forming and driving mechanism comprising a staple former to form a staple with its legs in line with the binding wire to be stapled. means to drive the staple out of the staple former, and means to turn the formed staple 10 about its longitudinal axis after the staple has been formed and before it is acted upon by the driver to cause the legs of the staple, when driven, to straddle the binding wire to be stapled.

6. In a machine for stapling binding wire to 15 box parts, staple forming and driving mechanism comprising a reciprocating staple former to form and hold a staple with its legs in line with the binding wire to be stapled, means to turn the staple former about its axis 01' reciprocation after the staple has been formed to cause the staple legs when driven to straddle the binding wire at a desired angle to the axis thereof, and means to drive the staple out of the staple former.

7. In a machine for stapling binding wire to 25 box parts, staple forming and driving mechanism comprising a staple former to form and hold a staple with its legs in line with the binding wire to be stapled, means to drive the staple out of the staple former, and means to turn the staple alter it has been formed and before it is acted upon by the driver to position its head at a selected angle to the axis of the binding wire to be stapled.

8. Staple forming and driving mechanism comprising a loop bar, means to feed staple stock wire to the loop bar, a reciprocating staple former to form a staple over the loop bar with the legs of the staple in line with the direction ofieed oi the wire, means for turning the staple former after the staple is formed to position the formed 40 staple in a plane at an angle to the direction of feed of the wire, and a driver for driving the staple so positioned. v

9. Staple forming and driving mechanism comprising a loop bar, means to feed staple-stock wire to the loop bar, a reciprocating staple former to form a staple over the loop bar with the legs of the staple in line with the direction of feed of the wire, a staple driver, and means for turning the staple after it is formed and before it is 50 acted upon by the driver to position the legs of the staple in a plane at an angle to the direction of feed of the wire.

10. In a machine for forming and driving staples, means to feed staple-stock wire, means to form a staple with the plane of its legs in line with the direction of feed of the staple-stock wire, means to drive the staple, and means to turn the staple after it is formed and before it is acted upon by the driver to position the legs oi the staple in a plane at an angle to the direction of feed of the staple-stock wire.

ALFRED L. ROSENMU'ND. 

